Pregnancy and the Guard

July 18th, 2012, 12:09 AM

I have a few questions about pregnancy and the national guard. I am currently on year 4 of my 6 year contract (my ETS is late next year) and I am currently pregnant. I did not get pregnant to get out of the national guard, but as I am 30 years old my husband and I did not feel comfortable waiting too much longer to have children.
I notified my chain of command the day I found out that I was pregnant. My unit really doesn't know what to do and I don't know what to expect and maybe someone here can offer guidance or something I can take to my unit to help them along.
From what I understand I was supposed to be given a counseling that notifies me of my options shortly after I notified them I was pregnant. I found out I was pregnant in mid-May, this hasn't happened yet. Also, it is my understanding that there is a general pregnancy profile that I am supposed to be on, but my unit knows nothing of this and is trying instead to get my on a temporary profile based on what my doctor says I can and cannot do. Who is right? We have a PT test next month and I am worried they are going to try to make me do it, not that I don't want to, but I have an incompetent cervix due to cervical cancer and my doctor just wrote a general no travel after 34 weeks and no lifting for me to give to my unit for now. I doubt he understands the requirements of the military and brushed it off when I was explaining.
I am trying for a Chapter 8 and my unit has never done one before so we are all going blind here, what is the paperwork involved and what needs to be submitted? I have done my letter to the commander stating the reasons why it will be a hardship for my husband and I for me to stay in (he is also in the national guard and this will be my 5th child, my husband's first child and my first child since joining the guard).

(1) Profiles will be issued for the duration of the pregnancy. The MTF will ensure that the unit commander is
provided a copy of the profile, and advise the unit commander as required. Upon termination of pregnancy, a new
profile will be issued reflecting revised profile information. Physical profiles will be issued as follows:
(2) Under factor “P” of the physical profile, indicate “T–3.”
(3) List diagnosis as “pregnancy, estimated delivery date.”
d. Limitations. Unless superceded by an occupational health assessment, the standard pregnancy profile, DA Form
3349, will indicate the following limitations:
(1) Except under unusual circumstances, the Soldier should not be reassigned to overseas commands until pregnancy
is terminated. (See AR 614–30 for waiver provisions and for criteria curtailing OCONUS tours.) She may be assigned
within CONUS. Medical clearance must be obtained prior to any reassignment.
(2) The Soldier will not receive an assignment to duties where nausea, easy fatigue, or sudden lightheadedness
would be hazardous to the Soldier, or others, to include all aviation duty, Classes 1/2/3. (However, there are specific
provisions in para 4–13c that allow the aircrew member to request and be granted permission to remain on flight status.
ATC personnel may continue ATC duties with approval of the flight surgeon, obstetrician, and ATC supervisor.)
(3) Restrict exposures to military fuels. Pregnant Soldiers must be restricted from assignments involving frequent or
routine exposures to fuel vapors or skin exposure to spilled fuel such as fuel handling or otherwise filling military
vehicles with fuels such as mogas, JP8, and JP4.
(4) No weapons training in indoor firing ranges due to airborne lead concentrations and bore gas emissions. Firing
of weapons is permitted at outdoor sites. (See (11) below, for other weapons training restrictions.) No exposure to
AR 40–501 • 14 December 2007/RAR 23 August 2010 79
organic solvent vapors above permissible levels. (For example, work in ARMS room is permitted if solvents are
restricted to 1999 MIL–PRF–680, degreasing solvent.)
(5) No work in the motor pool involving painting, welding, soldering, grinding, and sanding on metal, parts
washing, or other duties where the Soldier is routinely exposed to carbon monoxide, diesel exhaust, hazardous
chemicals, paints, organic solvent vapors, or metal dusts and fumes (for example, motor vehicle mechanics). It does not
apply to pregnant Soldiers who perform preventive maintenance checks and services (PMCS) on military vehicles
using impermeable gloves and coveralls, nor does it apply to Soldiers who do work in areas adjacent to the motor pool
bay (for example, administrative offices) if the work site is adequately ventilated and industrial hygiene sampling
shows carbon monoxide, benzene, organic solvent vapors, metal dusts and fumes do not pose a hazard to pregnant
Soldiers. (See (11), below, for PMCS restrictions at 20 weeks of pregnancy.)
(6) The Soldier must avoid excessive vibrations. Excessive vibrations occur in larger ground vehicles (greater than 1
1/4 ton) when the vehicle is driven on unpaved surfaces.
(7) Upon the diagnosis of pregnancy, the Soldier is exempt from regular unit physical fitness training and APFT
testing/weight standards for the duration of the pregnancy and 180 days past pregnancy termination. After receiving
medical clearance from their health care provider to participate in physical training, commanders will enroll Soldiers
who are pregnant or postpartum to take part in the Army Pregnancy/Postpartum Physical Training (PPPT) program, an
element of the Army Physical Fitness Training Program, in accordance with AR 350–1, Army Training and Education.
The PPPT Program is designed to maintain health and fitness levels of pregnant Soldiers, and successfully integrate
postpartum Soldiers back into unit physical fitness training programs with emphasis on achieving the APFT standards
in accordance with guidance provided in the Army Physical Fitness Training Program, and meeting height/weight
standards in accordance with guidance provided in the Army Weight Control Program. Pregnant and postpartum
Soldiers must be cleared by their health care provider prior to participating in physical fitness training. Once pregnancy
has been confirmed, the Soldier is exempt from wearing load bearing equipment (LBE) to include the web belt,
individual body armor (IBA) and/or any other additional equipment. Wearing of individual body armor and/or any
other additional equipment is not recommended and must be avoided after 14 weeks gestation.
(8) The Soldier is exempt from all immunizations except influenza and tetanus-diphtheria and from exposure to all
fetotoxic chemicals noted on the occupational history form. The Soldier is exempt from exposure to chemical warfare
and riot control agents (for example, nuclear, biological, and chemical training) and wearing MOPP gear at any time.
(9) The Soldier may work shifts.
(10) The Soldier must not climb or work on ladders or scaffolding.
(11) At 20 weeks of pregnancy, the Soldier is exempt from standing at parade rest or attention for longer than 15
minutes. The Soldier is exempt from participating in swimming qualifications, drown proofing, field duty, and weapons
training. The Soldier must not ride in, perform PMCS on, or drive in vehicles larger than light medium tactical vehicles
due to concerns regarding balance and possible hazards from falls.
(12) At 28 weeks of pregnancy, the Soldier must be provided a 15-minute rest period every 2 hours. Her workweek
should not exceed 40 hours and the Soldier must not work more than 8 hours in any 1 day. The 8-hour work day does
include one hour for physical training (PT) and the hours worked after reporting to work or work call formation, but
does not include the PT hygiene time and travel time to and from PT.
e. Performance of duty. A woman who is experiencing a normal pregnancy may continue to perform military duty
until delivery. Only those women experiencing unusual and complicated problems (for example, pregnancy-induced
hypertension) will be excused from all duty, in which case they may be hospitalized or placed sick in quarters. Medical
personnel will assist unit commanders in determining duties.
f. Sick in quarters. A pregnant Soldier will not be placed sick in quarters solely on the basis of her pregnancy unless
there are complications present that would preclude any type of duty performance.

Comment

Stevelord gave you great guidance on the profile. It will be a temp profile until you have the child.

The counseling has to be done by the commander. Bascially, you have the option of staying in or getting out. I don't remember the time frame the commander has to do it in. It's also not something that is centerally tracked like a family care plan. Since you have kids already, you probably already have one of these.

You may want to be patient and work with your unit. In 4 1/2 of years of being a company commander, I've had one Soldier that was pregnant, so it's not an everyday occurance.

You gotta to be kidding me. I cant believe they will have no idea how to handle these circumstances or even research the regulations themselves for answers. Or even contact their S1. I do not know if what you say is actually true but if that is the case; then what kind of command is this?

Is it not hard at all. Many female soldiers continue to serve while getting pregnant in the service; especially the many in my brigade who then wear the ACU smocks or go to a special POP pt when they hit a certain month in their pregnancy.

You gotta to be kidding me. I cant believe they will have no idea how to handle these circumstances or even research the regulations themselves for answers. Or even contact their S1. I do not know if what you say is actually true but if that is the case; then what kind of command is this?
.

I thought the same thing. You would think this is something commanders in units that house both genders might attend a class on once in a while. But if anything, someone could have taken 5 minutes to open a reg or Google it like I did. I would hope the OP received more than just a "I don't know."